Backup Tool help request

[Vgolfmaster]

Hi,

I recently wiped my hard drive in order to create some partitions and
install the Windows7 trial. Intead of saving the ,pst file from Outlook like
I normally would , I decided to use the Outlook Backup Tool.

I was able to direct Outlook at that saved file, and it opened it where I
could move the saved folders/e-mails into Outlook but it created a new
instance of my 'personal folders', instead of importing the folders/emails
into the existing instance of 'personal folders'; and now I have two of
everything in Outlook> I am also unable to find a way to recover my contacts
that were saved to that file.

Anyone have any detailed info on how to recover from a backup file created
with the Backup Tool? I've searched in vain on Googls and Microsoft, and
can't seem to find what I need.......

 

[DL]

The outlook backup tool merely creates a copy of your pst named backup.
If you started / configured Outlook, then within Outlook opened this backup
pst. then you will, as expected have two sets of Personal Folders; what you
do next depends,
Using data management, or acessing the Outlook Profile via the control panel
mail applet (with outlook closed) you can designate the backup pst as the
default mail store - all mail & contacts are within this pst
BTW Importing / exporting is generally a no no with respect of the outlook
data file

 

[Vgolfmaster]

Hi DL,

Thanks for the input - I managed to wade myself through it, but it was not
as expected.

First off, the backup tool does not save a .pst file. At least, not in my
case it did not. What I had to do was this: I used the backup tool to open
the backup file (listed only as a 'file' in Windows Explorer, with no file
type, ect / 14153KB). That opened it and allowed access to it in Outlook, but
did not pull in any data. Then I used the backup tool to 'open' it a second
time, and this created the 2nd set of personal folders within Outlook. This
allowed me to copy/move all of mail and personalized folders to within the
'personal folders' for the active .pst. I also then made a .csv file from the
contacts.

Went back in to Outlook 'options' -> 'data files' and closed the extra two
instances that were open via the backup tool, and the extra folders
disapppeared. Imported the .csv file to my contacts list, and now everything
is back in order.

Just wanted to point out that at least for me, the backup created by the
backup tool was not saved as a .pst file and could not be accesed with any
traditional methods expected with a .pst file.

If Microsoft ever created a backup option for any of their E-mail clients
that was easy to use and user friendly, it would be quite a blessing.

Vg

 

[Vgolfmaster]

DL,

One more quick point,

The folder that contains the backup file now contains another file named
'Outlook backup' that IS a .pst file type, but it is only 265KB in size,
compared to the original backup which is 2745KB.

I do not know how or why this new entry was created, but apparently using
the backup tool to open the existing backup file somehow created it. Does
Outlook automatically save a .pst file to every directory it accesses?

 

[DL]

If you have been refering to the MS Outlook Backup addin, then yes it *only*
creates a copy of a data file named;
'origonal pst name' backup.pst
The options shown, within Outlook, detail both the path and name of the
backup, if you type a new path and name of backup, they will both be created
when you run that backup

The backup is simply a copy, you restore it in outlook by opening it in
Outlook, there is no restore backup, as you might do in the usual type of
backup program